FIFA and UNCAF reps meet with Ministry of Sports

Three international soccer officials met with government officials on Monday night and early this morning. Raphael Salguero, a member of the FIFA Emergency and Executive committees, along with Rafael Tinoco, President of UNCAF and Venues Coordinator, Andres Portaveilla discussed the future of the Football Federation and Belize in the sport. The FFB is not recognized by the National Sports Council and the Ministry of Sports; although the FFB’s national selection has won two World Cup pre-qualifiers games against Montserrat. News Five spoke to the National Sports Coordinator who says that the meeting with the soccer delegates is a first in what he hopes will lead to solutions in the near future.

Via Phone: Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia, National Sports Administrator

“For a long time as you know, there has been some clamoring from the football family for something to happen in regards to the Football Federation of Belize. When the Government of Belize, through the Minister of Sports, decided to start acting on behalf of football family, we tried to get FIFA to come in to talk to us. I think this is an effort that has been made by all governments in the last ten years. And so finally the people from FIFA decided to send a delegation to speak to the Government of Belize.”

Jose Sanchez

Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia

“What was the outcome of this meeting with these gentlemen?”

Via Phone: Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia

“Well Jose, it was a very productive meeting. We have agreed we are not going to divulge the details of the meeting for now because I think what happened essentially last night was the beginning of a process. In other words, the dialogue that we’ve been looking forward to for a long time has now commenced and so last night’s meeting was like an ice breaker. It was an opportunity for both sides to lay out their concerns and finally we agreed that this is the first step in a process. And a delegation should be returning to Belize shortly to continue with these talks—as early as another week or two.”

Jose Sanchez

“Miley does it still mean then that the F.F.B. is still suspended or nto recognized by the sports council?”

Via Phone: Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia

“That’s a separate issue. I think the national sports council wrote to the F.F.B. and said because they had not approved their statutes, that they are not certified. And they have written to them to encourage them to amend those parts of the statues that the sports council did not find that matched with what they were able to accept and they have been asked to reapply. So that’s separate from what is happening now with this meeting with the people from FIFA.”

Jose Sanchez

“So essentially, the sports council or the ministry of sports does not recognize these wins that the selection won over the weekend against Montserrat?”

Via Phone: Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia

“Well all that is a part of the conversation and so on. As I’ve said I at this time, I wouldn’t be free to divulge the details of that, but all that—I think shortly when the delegation comes back, we’ll be able to talk a little bit more about that kind of topic.”

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